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A Skeleton in God's Closet

(Jonathan Weber #1)

Paul L. Maier

3.87 · Rating details · 1,442 ratings · 206 reviews

When an ancient skeleton is discovered in Israel, will it shed new light on the life of Jesus or plunge the world into chaos?

Dr. Jonathan Weber, Harvard professor and biblical scholar, is looking forward to his sabbatical year on an archaeological dig in Israel. But a spectacular find that seems to be an archaeologist's dream-come-true becomes a nightmare that many fear wi ...more

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Paperback, 384 pages

Published January 15th 2005 by Thomas Nelson (first published December 31st 1994)

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Dec 06, 2010 Ebookwormy1 rated it it was ok

Shelves: christian-church, fiction, israeljudaism, world-middleeast

With the exception of the final 50 pages, this book was tedious to read. But I had to finish it, as family members loved it and love Dr. Maier and have been asking me to read it forever.

So, what is wrong here? The writing is absolutely atrocious. Let me count the ways:
* The narration constantly engages in the flaw of telling instead of showing.
* Dialogue is wooden and sprinkled with dull humor that annoys rather than amuses.
* Character development is weak, forced and, in the case of our hero, e With the exception of the final 50 pages, this book was tedious to read. But I had to finish it, as family members loved it and love Dr. Maier and have been asking me to read it forever.

So, what is wrong here? The writing is absolutely atrocious. Let me count the ways:
* The narration constantly engages in the flaw of telling instead of showing.
* Dialogue is wooden and sprinkled with dull humor that annoys rather than amuses.
* Character development is weak, forced and, in the case of our hero, even distasteful. Given the fact that Dr. Maier is a well known Bible scholar and leader in the conservative Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, his choice of a middle age male protagonist lusting after a much younger woman, with whom he eventually engages in a relationship that is not clearly chaste, is surprising, not to mention a bit disgusting. One has to wonder what this character reveals about it's author. Is he simply bowing to the societal norm to spice up the story or engaging in a bit of voyeurism? Either thought is disturbing. As a woman, I also found the "modern woman" character of whats-her-name annoying.
* The plot is painfully slow. The ordering is good, but it takes laboriously long to get to what we know is coming (Jesus' bones discovered!) and the climax comes too late in the book.
* The narration is full of self-important hubris. If someone even mentions in conversation over the next year that the world would radically, seismically, unalterably, change! if Jesus' bones were found, I think I might... I don't know... but it would be bad.
* The book has not aged well. Written prior to 9/11/2001, I found some of the passages referencing terrorists or extremists down right angering. I think world events have caused most readers, and I would say probably even Dr. Maier himself, to view many of these concepts differently.

Why even 2 stars? I know, I was surprised myself! Here is what I came up with after some time to think about it:
* The idea of a discovery of Jesus' bones is unique.
* The science of archeology is intriguingly presented and explained. I cannot say I understand it, but I liked learning about it - also something not commonly found.
* The press conferences (which appear regularly) were well-written. The protagonist shined and the writing seemed tighter.
* The final showdown between the books opponents was compelling. While still suffering from Maier's trademark verbosity, it addressed many of the thorny issues of both the merits of Christianity and why people reject it.
* I'm always a fan of MacGyver (google it if you're too young for this reference) plot twists.

If you love someone who loves this book, or are interested in archeology, or love Christian fiction, this book will fill your need to read. Ultimately, I wish Dr. Maier would have worked with a writer, like Jerry Jenkins (I know, not a literary pinnacle, but someone with more fiction experience), to develop the book. Pity really, it could have been amazing.

...more

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Jul 27, 2014 Rick Davis rated it it was ok

Shelves: mystery-espionage

I have very mixed feelings about this book, so I’m going to have to break down my review in multiple parts.

The Author: Paul Maier is a great scholar, and I have greatly appreciated his translations of Eusebius and Josephus. They are highly readable and widely acclaimed. I also read and enjoyed his historical novel Pontius Pilate, though it was a bit on the dry and scholarly side for a work of fiction. I think, however, in the case of this book, Maier would have benefited from the presence of a c I have very mixed feelings about this book, so I’m going to have to break down my review in multiple parts.

The Author: Paul Maier is a great scholar, and I have greatly appreciated his translations of Eusebius and Josephus. They are highly readable and widely acclaimed. I also read and enjoyed his historical novel Pontius Pilate, though it was a bit on the dry and scholarly side for a work of fiction. I think, however, in the case of this book, Maier would have benefited from the presence of a co-writer who could help shape his prose and make it more readable.

The Pros: The premise for the book is brilliant; a tomb is discovered at the site of ancient Arimathea that contains what appear to be Jesus’ bones, a conclusion supported by a huge amount of airtight evidence. As the shockwaves of this discovery ripple through the Christian world, a coalition of scholars is created to comb through and verify the evidence. The way the plot unfolds is gripping, the stuff of a great thriller. If I were judging the book on plot alone, it would rate 4 or 5 stars.

The Cons: However, there were some serious problems that kept me from enjoying the book. Chief among these was the fact that the characters never seemed real. Almost all of them came across as cardboard cutouts, and many of the characters were awkward stereotypes. The Irish scholar talks with a brogue that might better fit Lucky the Leprechaun, and the British leader of the expedition is full of “Cheerio”s, “Simply splendid old boy”s, and “right-o chap”. I’ve never met someone from England that talked remotely like someone who walked out of an Agatha Christie novel from the 1930s.

Second, Maier finds that he wants to include a lot of information for his readers, but can’t seem to find a good way to do a believable info dump. I found myself reading through the book and being confronted with multiple situations in which two Ph.D. level archaeologists are talking and one turns to the other and says something along the lines of, “Silly question I know, but could you just explain to me how carbon dating works once again?” These painfully clumsy moments jerked me out of the story every time. Likewise whenever a character makes a quotation in a foreign language, they always self translate, even if they’re speaking to colleagues who know the language. So a character, talking to a Frenchman might say something like “Bonne chance, mon ami. Good luck, my friend.” I’m of the opinion that, in situations like this, authors should simply leave the phrase untranslated, and if readers don’t know French, then they can look it up.

Finally, the romantic subplot in the story is awful. I feel like it’s being told by a 12 year old. It is awkward and unrealistic at every moment. I know that the author is married with children, so he presumably knows how men and women talk, but I wouldn’t know that by reading this book.

So in conclusion, A Skeleton in God’s Closet has a stellar plot with a brilliant denouement, but the author really needed someone to help him with his storytelling and characterization techniques. I don’t regret reading the book, but I don’t think I could ever recommend it as a fun read for anyone else. If you’re interested in Maier, get his book on Pontius Pilate, or check out his translation work.
...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Telaina rated it did not like it

Shelves: abandoned, e-book

I *tried* to finish this book. I'm not a book snob and this book was recommended to me by a good friend. In hearing her talk about it, I thought it was going to be some version of the Da Vinci Code, which I enjoyed in a pulp fiction way. "Ooooh, tell us what happens next with his chiseled face and rock hard abs!" I read the author was a Michiganian so I thought, heck, why not read this the last week of Lent? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry but this is one of the worst books I've ever read in my life. Fr ...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Kerith rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction

The plot is fascinating, I'll give him that. Speculate: what if archaeologists discovered what looks like really could be the bones of Jesus? I geeked out over all the archaeology in this novel, less so the theology. The whole thing was marred by Maier's writing. It was seriously weak, and detracted from his scholarly strengths. His dialogue was truly unbelievable, peppered with far too many exclamation points, and the "romance" was just...awful. He can't write a female character worth beans, mu ...more

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May 28, 2009 Rae rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Recommended to Rae by: Assigned for class

Way too predictable. There wasn't really anything that wasn't completely obvious. The dialogue was ridiculously cheesy and unrealistic. Plus, he uses italics way too much. Literally twice in every line of spoken dialogue. It was annoying to read. Also, the characters explained too much, and in a very textbook format that made it no less than absurd. And I didn't really care to hear about a 40-year-old man lusting after a 20-year-old girl every other page. The general premise of the book was inte ...more

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Oct 15, 2020 Loraine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: suspense, romance, adventure, christian-fiction, intrigue

Dr. Jonathan Weber, a Harvard professor and Biblical scholar, is spending his sabbatical year on an archaeological dig in Israel. But a spectacular find may turn the Christian church upside down if it's real. If not, then it's the biggest hoax ever in the field of archeology, and who is behind it.

This book is so realistic and I could totally see something like this happening in today's current state of disrespect and distaste by many for Christianity. This kept my attention from start to finish ...more

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Aug 23, 2013 Tiff Miller rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction, crime-fiction, mystery, fiction, religion, christianity, drama

Where do I start?

I really wanted to like this book. Alas. I cannot. The only reason I finished it was so I could feel truly justified in writing a review.

First, the positives:
It is very scholarly, and full of information nerds like me can appreciate. I enjoyed the long explanations of various scientific processes used to authenticate archaeological finds. This kind of thing has always piqued my interest, and I enjoyed those sectors of the book, even though they felt drawn-out and slow.

The conce ...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Tammy rated it it was ok

I started this book after a recommendation from a dear friend. It is not my usual read but I found the plot intriguing. I was so disappointed that I had to struggle to finish it. While the story was engaging I found the characters and the development horribly lacking.

The premise was that the bones of Jesus had been found during a dig thus disproving the Resurrection. Chaos ensued while the scientist tried to verify and authenticate the find. The biggest problem I had was the romance between Jon ...more

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Mar 14, 2021 Morgan rated it liked it

I loved the premise of this book - what if the body of Jesus were found today? The implications for our society and what it means to live your values, backed up by religion or not, were incredibly thought-provoking and my reading experience was overall enjoyable.

This book had a lot of telling and not nearly enough showing for my preference. I also found there to be a lot of mini-conflicts that were brought up and immediately fixed within two pages - why bring it up if it weren't going to be a l ...more

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Aug 21, 2021 David C. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

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Jun 11, 2013 Jen rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I came to this book via the author, who was known to several friends of mine (I never met him) and they said I should read his stuff, being a medievalist and scholastic type myself. (Some of my friends are unclear on the historical period delineations.)

So I did, and it was entertaining, and that's that. I mean, it's sad, but my first reaction on finishing was, "okay, what's next?"
Here's the thing. Maier's premise is really good, in terms of asking what would happen to Christianity and the world I came to this book via the author, who was known to several friends of mine (I never met him) and they said I should read his stuff, being a medievalist and scholastic type myself. (Some of my friends are unclear on the historical period delineations.)

So I did, and it was entertaining, and that's that. I mean, it's sad, but my first reaction on finishing was, "okay, what's next?"
Here's the thing. Maier's premise is really good, in terms of asking what would happen to Christianity and the world if somebody dug up Jesus' bones and it turned out the Resurrection was a lie. This is a great conversation piece! The unfortunate thing is that he takes this solid idea and buries it in a book that is trite, flat, and poorly edited. It's like Dan Brown with actual intelligence and scholastic merit, which means that it's better, but still unfortunate.

It's slow at the beginning; it took me about 50 pages to really care about anything that was going on in the story. (The last third or so is more exciting, so it's worth continuing.) Then we get into the dig itself and the findings and then all the testings, and even as a scholar who knows a lot of the details and test types and such, I got a little bored by how much it felt like Maier saying, "Look how much I know about my field! See? See how it's totally applicable to awesome things?" Particle tests are not going to get more exciting. They just aren't.

Then there was this romance. What. I have no idea where it came from, the whole thing felt incredibly forced in that "I have to have a romance for the lead" way, and I never cared at all for the beautiful woman who was incredibly smart except for the part where I as a reader never saw her doing anything all that more impressive than a well-trained undergrad, so she was smart about what...? A feminine icon Shannon is not. A well-rounded character Shannon is not. A pair of legs with an Irish temper Shannon is.

I also totally didn't buy the ending, not least because I kept hearing Syndrome's line from "The Incredibles"the whole time.

And a note on italics: I don't know whether the novelty of not working with a typewriter contributed to this or not, but it felt like half the words on the page were in italics, and often unnecessarily so. It was a bit like reading a comic book, and I hate that about comic books.

So it was good to read to mull over the main premise, but other than that, I think I'll just listen to my friends' stories of the author rather than actually reading his stuff. ...more

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May 29, 2019 John Desaulniers, Jr. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: personal-library

I have wanted to read this book for many years, but only recently purchased a used copy and started the task several weeks ago.

My admiration for Maier begins with my admiration for his father, and the ministry he began of the Lutheran Hour radio program. I've appreciated the several times I've heard Dr Maier, the son, interviewed about various historical topics, and being one who's had a cursory interest in archaeology I was intrigued by how this book would play out.

The story line, for the most I have wanted to read this book for many years, but only recently purchased a used copy and started the task several weeks ago.

My admiration for Maier begins with my admiration for his father, and the ministry he began of the Lutheran Hour radio program. I've appreciated the several times I've heard Dr Maier, the son, interviewed about various historical topics, and being one who's had a cursory interest in archaeology I was intrigued by how this book would play out.

The story line, for the most part, is highly believable, though there challenge for me was slogging through more detail than I considered necessary. Perhaps because of the nature of the topic, Dr Maier considered such detail a requirement of the topic, but even as one who has several books on biblical history and introductory archaeology, it was more than I wanted to know. But perhaps I was wanting to be entertained more than instructed, and I was looking for a novel and adventure. To be fair, however, the subject matter was somewhat technical, and all the major players were "technicians" in the craft.

Character development was a bit lacking, and I say that as an aspiring author who fears I will do far worse, but there was, for be, an unfortunate flatness in much of the personalities. There were, however, occasional points where a scene revealed a depth in a person very well, and again, as one who hopes to publish someday, I camped on those portions longer than others trying to identify what made those passages succeed at capturing my emotions. I'm not sure I could identify all the elements but they kept me going enough that I wanted to finish the book.

The conclusion of the story was somewhat satisfactory, somewhat not. The trip from climax to denouncement was, as is often the case in Christian fiction, too abrupt and in a few ways expected. Life rarely is neatly packaged, and unfortunately, general market fiction often is much more life-like in that regard than Christian. Ends left loose, while posing potential aggravation, would have been more satisfying for me.

Overall the story was good and I'm glad to have read the book after so many years of telling myself I would. There's enough likability in the protagonists for me to have enjoyed them and rooted for them, and while I think the archaeological and scientific details were excessive, they were structured into the novel in such a way that they could be skimmed over without losing the story.

I know Dr Maier has written additional fiction. At this point, I'm satisfied with completing this one. ...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Kaylee rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Here's the caveat to everything that follows: the first time I read this book, I was just figuring out my own thoughts on organized religion. Raised Lutheran and Catholic, I was at the age that the bloom was starting to come off the rose (long story). Nevertheless, I've had the impression since the first read through that this book was a really fun, engaging, intelligent thriller that happened to ask a big what-if about Christianity.

Fifteen years later (or so), I found my copy and picked it up, Here's the caveat to everything that follows: the first time I read this book, I was just figuring out my own thoughts on organized religion. Raised Lutheran and Catholic, I was at the age that the bloom was starting to come off the rose (long story). Nevertheless, I've had the impression since the first read through that this book was a really fun, engaging, intelligent thriller that happened to ask a big what-if about Christianity.

Fifteen years later (or so), I found my copy and picked it up, ready for a fun reread. Imagine my disappointment when
a) the writing was plodding and dull
b) the Western world was placed on a pedestal
and
c) stereotypes peppered the entire book.

Ignoring the atrocious prose (I've apparently raised my standards, which is good), I had a big problem with the way Maier half-purports to be scientific and objective, but instead makes it clear that he doesn't take anyone seriously who expresses "liberal" beliefs or has a completely different culture than him (even the names he choose for his non-American characters make me want to spit!).

His focus on "physical vs. spiritual" resurrection was infuriating. I was always taught about symbolism in church; Sunday school and confirmation classes were full of ways to interpret scriptures. I don't buy the idea that the entire world would go to chaos if someone unearthed Jesus' remains. Yes, a third of the world's population is some type of Christian, and yes, plenty of people would be shocked if we found Jesus' bones, but for him to say it would completely eradicate all but the "fringe-liberal" Christianity is to remove any sort of credit for Christians' core beliefs. This is definitely a worst-case-scenario book, despite the way he cloaks it.

I know our world has changed since he wrote this. We're truly globally connected, and had he waited a few years to write this, it would be a hugely different story, I'm sure. Alas, he wrote it when he wrote it, and I read it again, and that is that. This is apparently the first in a series now, eh? Unless Maier's writing drastically improved and he became more knowledgeable, less bigoted, and has cut the snide "humor" at women's expense, I won't be picking up any more books from him.

Plus, you know what? Anyone who uses an ignorant stereotype about my alma mater doesn't deserve my support. ...more

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Oct 18, 2010 Tracy Krauss rated it really liked it

Review of "A Skeleton In God's Closet"
The is based on the 'discovery' of Jesus bones along with other artifacts that 'prove' its authenticity. It is very thorough in its academic approach to the archeological aspects of the story - perhaps too much so, in some cases. I found myself skimming through some of the more dry scientific stuff to get back to the story. The story itself, however, is well written. I especially appreciated the skill in which the author described the scenery and even the e ...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Brian Eshleman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book, a bit of light reading on one level, succeeded in creating an alternative world that shaped the way I look at this one. Even if when I didn't have my nose in the book I started to think about the world around me as though the body of Jesus had been found and had to consciously shift myself into rejoicing that the flesh and bone that the apostles touched never would be recovered in some grave.

in terms of the author's execution, I also thought the book was excellent. I found the plot ri ...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Howard Zang rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Action/adventure and religious fiction readers.

Shelves: action-adventure

This book is a good read for anyone who likes reading historical fiction, action/adventure books and religious fiction. It's well paced with a good plot and interesting characters. The story line is intriguing with some thought provoking concepts. ...more

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May 21, 2019 Jonathan rated it liked it

It was OK. A little corny regarding the romance. The most interesting aspect of the book was the impact it would have on the world if there were such a discovery that would put Christ's identity into question. ...more

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May 23, 2021 Larry Hostetler rated it liked it

Definitely a good read, but a lower rating due to some issues I had with plot and writing.

First the issues: I found explications in dialog to be forced and (at least for me) unnecessary and distracting. Because experts in the various disciplines would not explain some basics, like how Carbon 14 dating works, the reader can be challenged to do a little research when they don’t understand. Everything need not be explained for everyone.

As for the plot, I kept wondering why other explanations (like ...more

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May 24, 2020 Andrew Brown rated it it was ok

Positives - this is a unique plot, and I appreciate how thoughtful the cultural ramifications of finding Christ’s body would be. The only other like is that I had waves of archaeology nostalgia.

Negative - this is so poorly written. It is doused in cliches, such as flat characters, insensitive religious/racial passages. The dialogue is absolute garbage, and I found myself rolling my eyes countless times.

The love story is a total waste. It feels hollow and cliche. Its also highly inappropriate o ...more

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Aug 15, 2018 Pammy rated it liked it

The author sets about to ask what would happen if the bones of Jesus and other artifacts found were discovered and proven authentic.
Maier's gripe on the technical aspects used to evaluate the bones is well done. Perhaps too 'techy', but I was still impressed. The archaeological field study aspect was also detailed, factual and fun to follow (but then I have a passion for archaeology!)
The author tackled the intrigue, the subterfuge, and the theology by providing twists and turns to hold the reade ...more

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Dec 26, 2020 Maya Joelle rated it it was ok

Shelves: christian, i-know-the-author, actively-disliked

I was disappointed by this book, particularly since I have met the author and found him to be a very wise, thoughtful pastor. Like me, he is an LCMS Lutheran, and I expected his novels to have the same quality - of writing and of theology - that his sermons do.

Unfortunately, they do not.

The book (and its sequels) were an interesting look into archaeology, and there were some compelling plot points/moments, but the way he played with theology... was not okay with me. Especially since I spent pa ...more

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Apr 22, 2018 JimtheDean rated it really liked it

This book took a very long time to read. Ultimately, I liked the story. The writer’s style made the reading slow for me and several times I set the book aside. Interestingly, due to the nature of the story itself, as I finish this book I find myself wanting to pick up the next one by this author, similarly titled, to see if the story itself continues. I imagine if the writing of the next book is so “thick” with detail, it may too be a difficult and long read for me.

Good points: I liked the stor ...more

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Dec 25, 2021 Larry Ecton rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Not being a prodigious nit-picker, but an intelligent reader, I found this book to be excellent. Of course, without some knowledge of real-world archaeology and textual criticism, I may fall back on picking nits as well. And, while I am a conservative evangelical preacher, I don’t demand fictional characters to step outside of real-world people in order to bow to self-made moralists. (oh,my!) The book is packed with complex plots and counter-plots, intrigue, romance (withOUT immorality implied), ...more

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May 09, 2018 Larry Thacker Jr. rated it liked it

Had I not known something of the author, I might well have thrown this down in disgust before getting half way through it. It sure seemed as if he was building an air-tight case, albeit fictional, for a find that would turn Christianity on its head. I don't have time for that kind of fantasy. But I stuck with it, and though it can be dry at times with the technical details of archaeology it was worth the effort. I don't have the knowledge base to judge whether the plot is credible, but it will b ...more

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Feb 11, 2017 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-life

I found the story line very intriguing and yet challenging at times. I agree with many of the other reviews that it moved slower than some other thrillers, but for me it was due to the amount of theological, historical, and archeological content that is critical to the novel. I experienced some internal turmoil as the events transpired but had to continue with Jonathan Weber in his quest for truth. My parents gave me this and the second book for Christmas though I think I will take a break with ...more

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Feb 16, 2021 Carrie rated it liked it

I really liked the story line and it got me thinking about how the world would react to this situation. I found this book slow to read and near the end there was a quick twist and I actually had to back up and reread a section to see where the plot switched. I thought I had missed something key. I felt the romance line was rather hokey and poorly developed, but I finished it because I really did want to know how the story ended.

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Apr 03, 2021 Jeannie L. Stuckey rated it really liked it

Shelves: xian-related-fiction

Archeological Fiction:
This is an interesting book which informs more about archeology as a part of the story. Also a couple of love stories involved in the "dig". Otherwise a bit far-fetched, purporting to find a grave of Simeon which really contained the body of Jesus. was it true? Was it not? All the signs point to the right time of the grave, and a letter gives the last clue. Read the book to find out more. Kept my attention. ...more

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Jan 25, 2018 Luann rated it it was ok

I found the MP3 CD for this book on the library shelf and picked it up for something to listen to on a road trip. It was interesting enough to keep my attention, but I'm not sure I could have read it all the way through. I did not appreciate the shallow characterization, especially of the women, and the romance stuck out of the story like a sore thumb. ...more

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May 21, 2018 Priscilla Baitup rated it really liked it

Enjoyed the entrique and the archaeological aspects and of course the love story interwoven into this story. This is the second time I have read the book in the last ten years and I couldn't remember the details of how it ended, it was so complicated so I read it again. Even better the second time. ...more

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Oct 09, 2018 Mary Baker rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, 1st-in-series, contemporary-fiction, mystery, christian-fiction, adapting-to-life-without-a-beloved, in-a-series

I really don't know how the author could write another book that would be as clever as this one. I enjoyed watching the plot unfold and then arrive at a satisfactory ending. The writing was smooth and the plot was believable in spite of challenging Christian traditions and beliefs. I'll definitely look for another book in this series and will recommend it to others. ...more

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About Paul L. Maier

Paul L. Maier

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Paul L. Maier, born May 31, 1930, was the Russell H. Seibert Professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University. Maier retired in the Spring 2011. He retains the title of professor emeritus in the Department of History at Western Michigan University. He is also a historical novelist, and serves as Second Vice President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

Maier is the son of Walter A. Paul L. Maier, born May 31, 1930, was the Russell H. Seibert Professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University. Maier retired in the Spring 2011. He retains the title of professor emeritus in the Department of History at Western Michigan University. He is also a historical novelist, and serves as Second Vice President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

Maier is the son of Walter A. Maier (1893–1950), founder and long time speaker of The Lutheran Hour. He is a graduate of Harvard University (M.A., 1954) and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (M. Div., 1955). On a Fulbright Scholarship, Maier studied at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and Basel, Switzerland. At Basel, Maier studied under scholars Karl Barth and Oscar Cullmann. He received his Ph.D., summa cum laude, in 1957.

Maier's areas of interest include the Ancient Near East; Ancient Greece; Ancient Rome; Christianity and the Roman Empire; and the Reformation Era.
He is the author of sixteen published books, both historical fiction and non-fiction. His historical fiction includes the #1 national best-seller in religious fiction A Skeleton in God's Closet (1993), as well as >i> Pontius Pilate (1968), The Flames of Rome (1981), More Than A Skeleton (2003), and the children's book The Very First Christmas (1998). Maier's non-fiction work includes Josephus: The Essential Works, a translation and abridgement of the writings of Josephus; and The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius of Caesarea, a translation of Eusebius' Church History. Maier co-wrote The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction? with Christian apologist Hank Hanegraaf. The book is a critical rebuttal of Dan Brown's 2003 topseller The Da Vinci Code. In addition, he has published well over 200 articles and reviews in such journals as Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte, Church History, Harvard Theological Review, Hermes: Zeitschrift für Klassische Philologie, Concordia Theological Quarterly, Concordia Journal, Mankind, Christian Century, Christianity Today, and Christian Herald.
He travels and lectures frequently. In 2004, he was featured on the Christian daily talk show, 100 Huntley Street in Canada for the entire year. He is a frequent guest on the show.
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